I’ve been hanging out here reading *everything* for several months but I didn’t feel I had anything much to contribute just yet --- I hardly ever post anywhere, shy --- but today I just feel I have to share my experience in case it might help some new reader who is on the fence wondering, as I did in the beginning: can this WOE possibly work for me?

Three months ago I was so "broken" --- after four decades of maintaining my weight through sheer stubbornness and brute-force calorie restriction --- that I believed I was forever doomed to be the exception to the rules that apply to “other people.” My body had become adapted to life on 1000 calories in perpetuity to maintain my weight. Eat any more and I would gain, no exaggeration. Heck walk past a bakery counter and I would gain. Worse: each passing year the maintenance calorie number would drop lower, a couple more pounds would creep on, and I would have to get even more strict to get them off / keep them off.

This whole system was OK up to a point (other than the deprivation of not eating, which I hated, since I like to eat!)…..meaning that at least I did stay trim my entire life and on the outside I looked pretty reasonable up to about age 40. Eventually though, as maintenance requirement fell and fell, I passed beyond that point of OK, with muscle loss, hair falling out, low energy, depression possibly related, you name it. Despite a small fortune spent on vitamins, minerals, and other supplements, I was clearly malnourished. But I felt trapped and could honestly see no way back. The calorie spiral kept ratcheting downwards. If I relaxed even the slightest, I would balloon up so fast it made my head spin watching it. This was despite diligent exercise, staying low-carb for health and appetite suppression reasons, and much reading/research. This year at 53 and past menopause, I was seeing real problems ahead, unless I signed on for a biosphere experiment in CR or something LOL.

One point to make is that (since I was maintaining) I only ever had a small amount to lose (range 2 lb up to 20 lb max at any point; usually not more than 5 lb), and because of what I was doing I was never really overweight (140 lb at heaviest, my ideal weight is 120, I was 112 in college.) So this kinda shows how a significant weight problem can exist even without a high number on the scale. (Small plug there for compassion for those souls perpetually struggling with “the last 10 pounds.”) Anyway this February I was back up to 19 lb over target and gaining, and I decided something had to change.

Luckily for me, I found JUDDD and all of you.

I have no words adequate to describe the miracle. I just want to say that everything described by the wise people on this Board is true. I was so skeptical, and really did not believe that my wrecked system would respond. But… after 72 days on JUDDD……

I have LOST THE 19 POUNDS!!!!!!!!!!! 1.8 pounds per week is nothing short of amazing for me. Meanwhile I have been eating so well, and my body is SO much happier. And it has been so EASY!!!!!!!! I can hardly believe it. I swear some days I have to check the calendar to see if it’s an UD or a DD – I enjoy them both!

Things have played out "exactly as advertised" here. The scale bounces are beyond insane, but the trend is always down. There have been pauses of a week or two, then multi-pound whooshes in a day or two, all for no apparent reasons that I can find. There is mega ENERGY!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh it is so great to have my energy back. The other huge plus has been better sleep – my lifelong chronic insomnia has all but disappeared, and so many other benefits stem from just that alone. Plus: my achy joints are better. My ibuprofen use has dropped to almost none. Still hoping my neck arthritis will improve although not there yet. But my hair has quit falling out. Even my skin looks better. Multiple inches lost, especially the problem belly fat. And my mood is incredible – positive, uplifted, happy.

For those just getting going, here is what I found worked for me:

1. Stay with the calories!! My allotted calories are 1570 and 375 and I stick to them like a religion, and do best there. For a while, I doubted, I mistrusted my body, so I kept my UD too low by a couple of hundred, and it did not work as well. When I ate more, I did better. (In retrospect: Duh!! Luckily you are all kind and won’t chastise me for taking so long to reach this less-than-brilliant discovery.)

2. Stay with the rotation. When I slipped (downward -- my UD became a MD a couple times), I slowed down.

3. Give it enough time. I began to feel supremely better after Week 3, when the energy kicked in. It took at least 6 weeks to begin to see how the loss cycles worked and get really happy in the eating pattern.

4. For me, low carb makes me feel better and gives me excellent appetite control; but I’ve read enough here to know that this choice is highly individual. I keep carbs below 90 on UD and below 60 on DD, without trying much, just by my natural eating preferences, and it seems like a good compromise that works for me. I have added in plenty of fruit on UD and feel great for it.

5. Drink drink drink. I found dehydration set me back on days I just plain forgot to drink enough.

6. Come here often. Without the support and experience and kindness of the members here I would never have even tried this. THANK YOU all, so much, for all your efforts and caring. You are all FABULOUS!

7. Enjoy the Magic!!!

Sorry for the long novel This has become a lifetime WOE for me, no question. Good luck everyone!

Thanks for this awesome post!! Your list of what works is very helpful. I'm not that far along with JUDDD yet, but I am beginning to see some of the magic after 3 weeks. This way of eating is definitely for me. I can't wait to see the long term benefits that you are seeing.

I'm just thrilled to read your post, Jenny! Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, and I feel certain that what you have written will be just the words that someone out there will read and get encouraged by. Yes! They can do it too, and your story can be theirs.

I'm so happy that you are experiencing so many additional benefits from following the JUDDD way of cycling your calories. Since this is a weight loss and management site, weight loss is the primary concern of most folks here, but the additional health benefits and healing that come to us from JUDDD are the more important gifts in the long run, in my opinion!

I'm awfully glad you are with us here. Glad you are enjoying JUDDD as much as I do!

And now, Jenny, you are an inspiration to others. Someone who is on the fence is going to read this, and just as you hoped, decide to take the plunge, try it out, and have much better health and a better relationship with food, all because of you.

I'm happy for you and proud of you! Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

Wow Jenny! You're a motivation to us! I relieve my metabolism was broken when I started too and thus am not seeing much results.. But I hope one day SOON I'll be able to post smth like yours sharing my success with fellow JUDDDers!

WTG, Jenny!!!! Thanks so much for sharing your story and success. You are going to help a lot of people by posting this. We're so glad you're on the forum with us! Congrats on the weight loss and the positive effects you're reaping, and thanks for those tips that will help many. You're awesome, my new JUDDD bud!

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Started JUDDD 10/12/11 after LC.MAINTENANCE since 11/12/11, & have lost more weight. I shake things up all the time with my version of Pirate Jenny's MUDDD, my "Fast 5" & other IF. ...low-moderate fat....and eating "healthy" foods 75+% of the time which lets me have real life and indulgences too I've reached my goals, improved my health & appearance, and enjoy my lifetime woe!

Thank you so much for posting your journey with JUDDD for everyone to read. It was a real joy to read that you were able to see the benefits from this way of eating, and to jump in, and reap these benefits. Others will read your story, and decide that this is the WOE for them!

I find it very fascinating and mind-boggling that you are eating about the same number of calories every two days (1570+375=1945) as you were on your old WOE (1000×2=2000) and not only lost those 19lbs but have experienced such life-changing improvements to your health!!! And how liberated & hopeful you must feel, after decades of deprivation & frustration.

I can just see you loitering around bakeries, sniffing & sniffing the air for hours!

__________________
"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast." --Ace Rimmer
"Really, how is eating a piece of cake bad? Being bad is murdering someone.
That's bad. Don't do that." --Sarah Michelle Gellar
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Thanks everyone for the great welcome and kind comments, I’m overwhelmed reading the replies.

Valerie – thanks and best parade of emoticons ever!

Rosalie and Catherine and Flossie – best of luck to each of you on your own JUDDD path!

Pat – thank you so much for the note, it means a lot. I agree, the tremendous health benefits in the long run outweigh even the weight loss IMHO.

Dawn – aw shucks you’re way too kind as always, but thanks!

Dckisses – I’m following your thread on slow losing…hang in there. I’m lucky enough to be living proof that change *will* happen eventually even if much healing has to happen first, and just the healing alone is worth it while you wait for the scale IMHO.

Sophie – Hi! You were one of my biggest inspirations getting started. Thank you for all your many thoughtful posts.

Carole – Thanks! So many people helped me without even knowing it, including you. This group is truly special.

Pirate Jenny – What can I say? Laughing out loud. Yes, I do haunt bakeries! My dark secret is out. And yes you’re right it is amazing about the calories being virtually the same as I was eating before. The only explanation can be that this wondrous WOE really does fool my body to drop out of starvation mode. It’s amazing! Before, everything was slowed to a standstill, I was living in slow motion. Now I feel like I’m running on all cylinders again. There is every prospect that I can reset my metabolism at a much more reasonable level to maintain than I was existing on before. What a gift!

Very motivating, and I really need to read about some successes, as my weightloss has stalled a bit. I am reevaluating my cals, since I've lost 10.1 lbs now, and I think I need to recalculate my numbers and stick with them religiously. Thanks for confirming my suspicions!

And.... Congratulations on reaching your goal!!!!!!!

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Do as I say, not do as I do... DEFINITELY not do as I do!!!

Your accomplishment is wonderful and everything you have to say is tremendously important for those of us still on our journey.

Now, please don't vanish into the Maintain Lane and fall silent. Given the serious thought and important learnings you got while losing weight, I suspect you are going to learn more and more things about JUDDD and how the body works as time passes...things that will benefit us all.

Congratulations!

PS - Speaking as someone who found multiple ways (without noticing) to ensured her UDs were too low - I would never shake my finger at you!

Thank you so much for posting your experience. This is possibly the most inspiring post I've ever read! I've bookmarked it so I can pass it on to as many people as possible.

I would love my sister to get on board, but she doesn't believe it's possible for her to do it - she thinks I'm the only one who's "lucky" enough to make it work. I hope that your experience will show that it's possible with the right support and attitude.

Well done, Jenny! I've found JUDDD to be the most pleasurable way to enjoy life and food, and to know that I'm doing good things for this post-menopausal, hypothyroid body. I'm so glad you shared your story. So many people will benefit from the nudge to try JUDDD for themselves.

What a wonderful testament to JUDDD! So many of your words really hit home, especially:

… I believed I was forever doomed to be the exception to the rules that apply to “other people.”

It is fabulous to hear of your immense success with this way of eating, and a wonderful affirmation for those of us who have (or had) “broken” metabolisms! Thank you so much for posting! I know that your story will inspire others to try JUDDD and as a result may find their lives changed as well!

Jenny,
Thanks for so much of this. Thought I was doomed too, by being me, by being in menopause, by lacking the will to do daily restraint. I'm also grateful for the reminder to stick to the calorie levels and to be religious about the math. I'm new to counting, and it's easy for me to drift on this one. Thanks so much for taking the time to offer your experience. It really helped me today. ,
Kristin

"One way to begin to see how vastly indulgent we usually are is to fast. One finds out what an astonishing amount of time is spent in the planning, purchasing, preparing, eating, and cleaning up of meals."
- Elisabeth Elliot

Thank you so much for sharing something so personal with us. I feel so grateful to have read it. What an amazing thing, and I have to second what piratejenny said...how fascinating is it that your calories are basically the same, yet you dropped 19 pounds! In under 3 months! And when it WAS so close to goal!

You gave your body a gift, it seems. Thank you again for posting, it was so inspirational!